Jason stepped out of Rarity's boutique. Taking a second to use the door-scraper, he flipped the sign to "Closed" and strolled down Ponyville's empty streets. He wouldn't care to be a fly on the wall when Sweetie Belle came down the next morning and saw what had happened.
"What's with you?" asked the crow, landing on Jason's shoulder.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said indifferently. "Everything's going according to plan."
"It's a needlessly complicated plan. Why you can't just kill them and go back to sleep like the other revenants do?"
"That is not justice, they did not murder me."
"A technicality, Jason. Anyway, the dead don't care about justice, they only understand revenge."
"And what exactly is the difference?"
"Revenge is about making yourself feel better. Justice is about what's best for everyone."
"Then justice is the only revenge that will satisfy me. If I just kill them, I will be vilified and they will become martyrs. As badly as I was treated, how much more harshly will the ponies deal with the next human who finds himself here? How could I rest, knowing that? No, my only recourse is to ensure that their punishment fits their crime, and that said crime will be known to all."
The crow was silent for a while. Finally he fluffed his wings and said, "Well, let's hurry up and finish it, then. We don't have all eternity to square Death's books, you know."
"We're going after Rainbow Dash next," said Jason. "I'm going to enjoy this one."
A small sound made Jason stop in his tracks. He looked up and down the houses near him, and finally saw a small pink filly sitting on a front porch, crying.
"Go scout out Rainbow's house for me," said Jason to his familiar, "I'll meet you in fifteen minutes."
The crow nodded and flew off. Jason walked silently toward the crying filly, a second glance confirming what he suspected: it was Diamond Tiara. If she noticed him when he sat down beside her, she gave no indication. He could hear a mare and a stallion arguing loudly from inside the house, presumably her parents.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly. She finally looked up at him.
"Tomorrow's my birthday," she sniffed. "I don't think either of them even remember. Mama's been drinking a lot more than usual lately, and Daddy's been working later so he has an excuse to not come home before she passes out. They usually try not to fight on special occasions. My birthday isn't special enough anymore . . ."
She lay her head on his lap and cried harder. Jason gently stroked her mane and waited patiently for her to get a grip on herself.
"Sorry to dump my problems on you," she choked out after a while. She readjusted her tiara and turned to go back into the house.
"Don't be sorry," said Jason, "and don't go yet. I have something for you, something to help you when times are hard and things look bad."
"What is it?" she asked, coming within arm's reach of him. Jason said nothing, but gently placed the palm of his right hand against her forehead.
A wintry Christmas Eve day sleigh bells ringing a fire crackling in the hearth I love visiting Grandma and Grandpa during the holidays Uncle Charlie always tells such great stories the smell of fresh-baked cookies going sledding hate to go to sleep but Santa Claus comes tomorrow OH WOW I got the bicycle I wanted Mom loved what me and my sister got for her mmmm dinner was so good this was the best Christmas ever I've never been so happy
Small tears of happiness leaked out of Diamond Tiara's eyes. It was like she'd actually been there, experiencing all of those joys and delights on that human holiday. She'd never felt so much happiness and love in one room. "That was so beautiful," she whispered, "Why did you leave all of that to come here?"
"I don't remember," said Jason, his voice thickening slightly. "I gave that memory to you. I don't have it anymore."
"What?" A look of guilt crossed her face. "You can have it back if you want."
"No, you keep it," said Jason. "You need it more than I do right now. I can't promise that things in your life won't get worse, but they usually get better after they do."
"Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much . . . er, what's your name?"
"My name is Jason." He stood up. He needed to meet the crow soon. "I have to go, Diamond Tiara. I'll be leaving Equestria in the morning and I have things to take care of."
"Bye, Jason," she called, waving after him. "I'll miss you."
You're the only one who will, he thought.